


Bait & Switch

by IAmANonnieMouse



Series: AELDWQ 2020 [1]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:08:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23700577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmANonnieMouse/pseuds/IAmANonnieMouse
Summary: Arthur's standing on an altar with a man he never planned to marry.
Relationships: Arthur/Eames (Inception)
Series: AELDWQ 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1706848
Comments: 27
Kudos: 60





	Bait & Switch

**Author's Note:**

> Week 1  
> Prompt: Accidentally Married  
> Genre: Royal AU  
> Word Count: up to 500 words

Arthur can’t deny that it’s a gorgeous evening. The sun is setting behind the altar, making Eames’ crown sparkle.

The officiant is speaking, but Arthur can’t focus on her words. Eames grins at him, vibrant and giddy, and Arthur guiltily turns away to scan the crowd.

No familiar faces. Arthur feels the first pricklings of panic.

They should have been here by now. Hell, some of them should have infiltrated the wedding before it even began—but Arthur’s surrounded by strangers, standing on an altar with a man he never planned to marry.

He turns back to Eames just as he beams and says, “I do.”

*

The plan was simple, according to Ariadne. Get dressed up, crash the King’s ball, woo his socks off, and get him to propose. Then, use the courtship to steal information and funnel it back to the Resistance.

“But why do I have to marry the King?” Arthur asked.

“Not _marry_ -marry,” Ariadne scoffed. “Just, like, _almost_ -marry.”

Arthur stared.

Ariadne sighed. “Just send us everything, and we’ll do a big… _something_ when the time is right.”

“And you wonder why the Resistance is doing so poorly,” Arthur commented.

Ariadne glared at him.

*

The Royal Wedding Reception is grand and ostentatious, and Arthur hates how much he loves it. He stands at Eames’ side in a beautiful, bespoke suit and tries not to think about how well he fits in.

Many drinks later, they stumble into Eames’ rooms. Eames is pressed along Arthur’s side, tipsy and endearingly sloppy. Arthur’s pretending to be the same.

Then, he sees what’s inside the rooms and gasps.

Eames hums. “Like what you see?”

Helplessly, Arthur nods. The room is filled with art—portraits, landscapes, sculptures. There are works Arthur’s only read about, styles he’s never heard of.

Eames wraps an arm around Arthur’s chest. “There’s plenty more where those came from,” he whispers, breath tickling Arthur’s ear. “But we’ll discuss that later. What I’d like now is—”

Arthur pulls away and paces toward the open window. “Eames,” he says, “we need to talk.”

Eames sighs. “Can it wait, darling? Just for tonight?”

“No.” Arthur straightens, setting his jaw. “Eames, I’m a—”

“Spy,” Eames finishes. “I know.”

Arthur stares.

“Oh, darling,” Eames murmurs, tugging Arthur closer. “I knew the moment I saw you in that ballroom. You dressed like a royal, but carried yourself like a soldier. I’m no fool in politics, darling.”

Arthur frowns. “Then why did you let it go this far?”

“Because I _am_ a fool in love.” He nuzzles Arthur’s temple. “And you are, too. You haven’t sent the Resistance anything useful in months.”

Arthur shrugs. “You haven’t done anything worth repeating.”

Eames laughs and kisses him. “I actually want to meet your Resistance friends. We have much more in common than they think. But that, darling,” he says, “can wait until the morning. Don’t you agree?”

He grins and pulls Arthur into the bedroom, and neither of them thinks about the Resistance until the following afternoon.


End file.
